Over 80 women union leaders, activists and organisers from across the transport sector gathered online for the ITF webinar ‘A gender-transformative approach to climate action for women transport workers.’
The event marked the launch of the ITF position paper and implementation plan on gender-transformative climate action, which explores the additional impacts for women of the climate crisis. It sets out key issues, principles, strategies and a 2025–2029 action plan to protect and empower women transport workers during the transition to zero-carbon; ensuring that gender equality is always at the heart of the just transition debate in transport.
The webinar was chaired by Mich-Elle Myers (MUA, Australia), Vice-Chair of the ITF Women Transport Workers’ Committee, with a keynote by Zazi Nsibayoni (NUMSA, South Africa). Both are members of the ITF Sustainable Transport Working Group.
Climate change hits women transport workers hard
Speakers from South Africa, Tanzania, Argentina, India, Kenya, Uganda, the Philippines and beyond, shared how climate change is intensifying the daily challenges faced by women transport workers.
“Women transport workers face a new layer of triple oppression as climate change deepens existing inequalities,” said Zazi Nsibayoni, describing how women in South Africa face extreme heat while waiting for transport, disrupted services during storms, and increased exposure to violence and harassment. “As NUMSA, we insist that a just transition must also be a gender-just transition, one that builds resilient infrastructure, protects jobs and gives women real access to skills and safety in a changing transport sector.”
From severe floods in Argentina and India that shut down rail lines to bushfire smoke in Australia threatening health and fertility, and drought-driven transport disruptions in the DRC, women workers are on the frontline of the crisis.
Participants also highlighted that climate measures themselves are not gender-neutral: electrification, automation and decarbonisation risk excluding women if they are not properly consulted, reskilled and supported.
A call for a just and feminist transition
Discussions focused on union strategies for a gender-transformative just transition, including:
- Building women’s voices and leadership in climate and energy transition negotiations, where they are often underrepresented.
- Embedding women’s needs into national climate plans and workplace agreements: from access to PPE and safe sanitation to childcare provisions and work environments that are free from violence and harassment.
- Ensuring good quality training and re-skilling opportunities are accessible to women as new technologies and fuels are introduced.
- Holding governments and companies accountable for meeting climate targets and protecting workers’ livelihoods.
“Just transition must not only protect women workers but ensure they are decision-makers shaping climate solutions,” said Mich-Elle Myers.
Next steps
Through its action plan, ITF will support unions worldwide to:
- Campaign for gender-transformative climate action
- Engage industry to ensure women benefit from the transition
- Strengthen women’s voices and leadership at all levels
- Influence international policy to put gender equality at the heart of climate action
The webinar marked the start of this collective journey, uniting women transport workers worldwide to turn their lived experiences into action and advocacy.
Notes
The webinar was held on Monday 8 September 2025
